Swimming has long been recognized as one of the most demanding and competitive sports. Over the years, a variety of swimming aids have been developed and used by swimmers during training as part of an aquatic training program. Such aids have been designed to increase swim stroke efficiency and improve stroke technique and power.
Most swimming aids have been developed with the underlying rationale that increased resistance during the swim stroke will result in increased stroke power and therefore improve performance. In essence, performance improves as the swimmer's ability to push water backwards along a line pursued by the swimmer's body increases. Thus, the faster a swimmer can pull his hand through the swim stroke cycle the greater his speed in the water.
Still other swimming aids attempt to improve the swimmer's swim stroke efficiency by developing the swimmer's ability to move water with long, powerful swim strokes to propel the swimmer forward. On the one hand, efficiency depends on a variety of swim techniques such as hand positioning, arm motion, hand pull and body rotation among other factors. On the other hand, factors such as the number of strokes taken as a function of distance, average stroke cycle rate, velocity, and elapsed time also play a big part in defining an efficient swim stroke.
Whether a swimmer desires to improve swim stroke technique or swim stroke efficiency, there are currently no readily available low cost diagnostic and training tools to allow the swimmer to determine, monitor, and analyze swim stroke rate and efficiency.
While state of the art technologies do exist to test and analyze swim performance, such technologies are normally reserved for the elite swimmers who are invited to train or practice at multi-million dollar training centers in preparation for national or international events. Such centers use sophisticated and expensive training equipment including video recorders, computers and enhanced timing systems. Thus, there are no known simple and cost effective diagnostic tools for use by the up and coming athlete in training or for the recreational and fitness swimmer.
Prior devices have been developed and used by swimmers for training and conditioning purposes. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,832,643 to Schoofs describes a hand paddle made out of plastic materials or hard rubber which the swimmer can wear on his hands to develop a stronger swim stroke. Another prior art device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,147,233 to Hannula wherein a swimming training paddle is described having a textured leading surface which captures water and permits the swimmer to increase swim stroke power.
While these prior art devices are designed to develop swim stroke force and increase power, such devices do not allow the swimmer to gauge his progress by determining a swimmer's stroke rate and stroke time as a function of a particular technique used or distance swam. Until the present invention, the average swimmer was unable to obtain accurate swim stroke time and rate information. Furthermore, until the present invention, the average swimmer had no indication as to whether a particular swim technique was efficient in terms of increasing swim speed and getting the most out of each stroke. A device that allows a swimmer to identify the variable which manufacture swim speed is in great demand.
Thus, there currently is a need for an easy to use and inexpensive device for measuring, analyzing and viewing analytical and quantitative information regarding a swimmer's stroke. There is also a need for such a device that permits the swimmer to determine average swim stroke cycle rates and times as a function of the distance swam. Such a method and device would allow swimmers to gauge their swim stroke and make corresponding adjustments in technique.
Likewise, a need exists for a device that determines the number of strokes taken by a swimmer as a function of distance and elapsed time. Furthermore, there is a need for a device that is inexpensive and available to swimmers of all skill levels and ages. A device that can be mounted to the swimmer's arm, hand or other body part during the swim exercise, but does not interfere with proper swim stroke form or interrupt swim motion during the exercise would fill the hitch left open by prior art training aid and methods.